Book reviews

College men's affective reactions to individual therapy, psychoeducational workshops, and men's support group brochures: The influence of gender-role conflict and power dynamics upon help-seeking attitudes.

“…Pollack (1998) maintained that many well-intended caregivers (both male and female) impose these restrictive gender rules on their sons believing they are doing the right thing in terms of making their sons proper men. Men are socialized to go it alone, tough things out, and above all else “no sissy stuff” (Brannon, 1985). What a men's support group proposes runs counter to normative male socialization and may carry with it an expectation of shame and ridicule for some, while for others it may be beyond the realm of comprehension that men would gather in a room “just to talk.”…”

“…Levant (1990) further suggested that there are four factors that are imbedded in traditional male socialization that foster men's negative attitudes toward therapy: (a) difficulty in admitting a problem exists; (b) difficulty asking for help; (c) selectivity and difficulty identifying emotional states; and (d) a fear of intimacy. Other writers have suggested that men from early on in their socialization are encouraged to adopt a go-it-alone attitude and be “sturdy oaks” that bear the brunt of emotional discomfort without complaint or confiding in others (Brannon, 1985). Still others have suggested that the fear of the feminine or at the least a discomfort or disdain with it, guides men in their masculine ethos, including why seeking help is incompatible with being a man (Blazina, 1997; Blazina & Watkins, 2000; O'Neil et al, 1986).…”

What are eight popular masculinity-related instruments measuring? Underlying dimensions and their relations to sociosexuality.

“…One of the two measures of masculinity ideology examined in this research was designed to reflect the benchmark in masculinity ideology theorizing, Brannon's (1976) “blueprint for manhood.” Brannon suggested that, within the United States, men are socialized to avoid appearing feminine (“no sissy stuff”), to gain status and respect (“the big wheel”), to appear invulnerable (“the sturdy oak”), and to seek violence and adventure (“give 'em hell”). An often-used scale developed in accordance with this model of masculinity ideology is the Brannon Masculinity Scale (BMS; Brannon, 1985; Brannon & Juni, 1984). Thompson et al (1992) reviewed the BMS as part of a larger review of masculinity-related measures and concluded that it appears to be a valid measure of masculinity ideology.…”

Explaining heterosexual men's attitudes toward women and gay men: The theory of exclusively masculine identity.

“…Psychoanalytic theory has traditionally viewed masculine gender identity as problematic and driven by unconscious fear of femininity in the self (e.g., Chodorow, 1974; Freud, 1905/1938; Horney, 1932; Sanford, 1966). Social psychologists have explored the demands of the male gender role and found that they tend to exclude anything that could be construed as feminine (e.g., Brannon, 1985; McCreary, 1994), leading to dichotomous constructions of masculinity and femininity (Maccoby, 1987; Spence, 1985, 1993; Spence & Sawin, 1985). Research in developmental psychology has revealed that, for boys, gender role norms are more exclusive of cross-sex behaviors and more rigidly enforced by both peers and parents (Fagot, 1977, 1985; Langlois & Downs, 1980; Lytton & Romney, 1991).…”